Reviews and Articles

Read what the critics have to say about A Great and Lasting Beginning

“To say that this book is a labor of love is evident on every page. It is also important to note that Father McDaniel is an historian of the first order … It is not too much to say that A Great and Lasting Beginning is much more than the promise of its title. In fact, this is a book that is a cut above the average celebratory volume. It is a book that will be valuable to all SAU alumni and should be on the shelves of public libraries throughout Iowa and Catholic university libraries across the country.”

— from a review by Timothy Walch, director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum (West Branch, Iowa) and the author of numerous books on American Catholic history

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“Indexed, with 284 pages of lucid prose and dozens of photos, many in color, McDaniel’s “coffee table” book offers a grand sweep of the history of the university … With his historian’s pension for accuracy, sourcing and organization, McDaniel writes not only of the university’s internal growth and development but also of its impact on the community. The book mirrors life and times in the Quad-Cities, making it interesting to readers who are not alumni or associated with the university.”

— from an article by John Willard, Quad-City Times reporter

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“A Great and Lasting Beginning deserves space on your bookshelf whether you are an Ambrosian or simply interested in local history. The photos and names are fun to review, and the text is informative without being academic. McDaniel deserves accolades for his great and lasting contribution to this historical niche.”

— from a review by Sue Flansburg, freelance writer and book reviewer

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